From now until the 2025 NFL Draft, we hope to scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, all the way down to Day 3 selections and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Florida running back Montrell Johnson, Jr.
#1 MONTRELL JOHNSON, JR, RB, FLORIDA (SR) – 5113, 212 lbs.
Combine Measurements
Player Ht/Wt Hand Size Arm Length Wingspan
Montrell Johnson, Jr. 5113/212 9 1/4 30 3/4 75 3/8
40-Yard Dash 10-Yard Dash Short Shuttle 3-Cone
4.41 1.55 4.49 N/A
Broad Jump Vertical Bench Press
10’3” 35.5 N/A
The Good
— Good size, speed, and muscular build
— Solid patience and vision
— Follows his blockers and can get skinny through small gaps
— Good pad level and lowers his shoulder to finish runs
— Good contact balance
— Speed to take it the distance
— Ran all the backfield routes and some routes when lined up outside
— Good hands and ability to adjust around his frame
— Solid ability to create after the catch
The Bad
— Marginal lateral agility behind the line of scrimmage to avoid tacklers
— Doesn’t recognize play developing on the second level
— Marginal making people miss on the second level
— Tight hips when trying to get around the corner
— Didn’t move much to help quarterback on the scramble drill
— Whiffed consistently on chips on he edge
— Not interested in pass protection
— No kick or punt return experience
Bio
— Career: 569 carries, 3,089 yards, 5.4 YPC, 33 TD, 61 receptions, 411 yards, 6.7 YPR, 2 TD
— 2024: 100 carries, 593 yards, 5.9 YPC, 6 TD, 13 receptions, 64 yards, 4.9 YPR
— 49 games/28 starts
— 2021 at Louisiana, 2022-2024 at Florida
— East West Shrine Bowl invitee
— 2021 Sun Belt Freshman of the Year
— Two-time SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll (2022, 2024)
— Led team in rushing in 2022, 2023
— Missed three games in 2024 (knee)
— Involved with several volunteer opportunities, including Food4Kids and Feeding Tampa Bay fighting hunger in the community
— Birthday: 10/13/2002 (22)
Tape Breakdown
Montrell Johnson, Jr is a fourth-year running back with good height and weight. He has solid length and good hand size, along with good speed. He was part of a rotation of backs but led the team in rushing for two seasons.
He has solid patience and good vision when making gap choices as a runner. He allows the blocks to develop on power runs before using good acceleration to hit gaps, coupled with the ability to get skinny through holes. On zone runs, he has solid jump cut, and once he sees his gap, he gets downhill. He runs with a good pad level after getting through the line of scrimmage and will deliver a blow to second and third-level defenders. His long speed is good, and he has solid contact balance. Additionally, his ball security is very good.
In the passing game, he was used as a receiver out of the backfield and occasionally lined up outside or in the slot. He ran all the usual routes to the backfield and some slants, screens, and quick outs when lined up outside. His hands are good, comfortable catching around his frame, and he squares up the field quickly to assess. He was solid creating after the catch, making defenders miss with quick cuts and running through arm tackles.
In the backfield, his lateral agility is marginal when trying to make a defender miss. Once through the first level of defense, he has marginal mental processing to see the play develop and set up his next move. His lack of agility leads him to run through defenders rather than around them. His hips are tight when trying to corner. During the scramble drill, after running his initial route, he didn’t make much effort to work to the quarterback.
In pass protection, he was poor. The effort wasn’t there, whiffing on most of his chips, and he looked very uncomfortable versus blitzers often turning sideway.
Conclusion
Overall, Johnson Jr. is a running back with good size and speed. He has solid patience and good vision. He is capable of using a jump cut to get to the correct gap and can get skinny to fit through small holes. He has good speed and will lower his shoulder on the second level. As a receiver, he showed good hands, can adjust around his frame, and can create after the catch.
Areas for improvement include using his ability to make guys miss in the passing game in the running game, working back to the quarterback in the scramble drill, and improving his pass protection efforts.
Johnson has produced solidly throughout his career and is a solid receiver. He is what he is as a runner, and unless he starts to pass protect, teams won’t put him on the field. Additionally, he would need to perform on special teams. His best fit would be a power/gap or inside zone running scheme.
I’ll offer Evan Hull for a player comp. He had a similar downhill running style and was a good pass catcher. However, his hips were tight, and his pass protection needed improvement.
Projection: Late Day Three/UDFA
Depot Draft Grade: 5.8 – Priority Free Agent (Undrafted Free Agent)
Games Watched: 2023 – Vs Georgia, At LSU; 2024 – Vs Miami, At Tennessee, Vs Ole Miss
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